SUMMARY - Monday, 23 June 2025 - 9 p.m.

Bratislava, 23 June (TASR) - Slovakia won't support any increase in spending on the purchase of weapons systems above the 2025 level in the 2026 state budget, Premier Robert Fico (Smer-SD) stated on Monday, adding that the state must reserve to itself the sovereign right to decide at what pace and structure it is prepared to increase the budget of the Defence Ministry in order to achieve the NATO plan in 2035. https://etasr.sk/article/22203778 Partizanske, 23 June (TASR) - Local authorities have asked the government to cancel the decision to freeze €200 million in European Union (EU) funds, representatives of the Slovak Towns and Villages Association (ZMOS), the Slovak Towns Union (UMS) and the Self-governing Regions Association (SK8) stated at a press conference in Partizanske (Trencin region) on Monday, adding that they want to meet with the three most senior constitutional officials, and if the meeting is not successful, they will approach the European Parliament. https://etasr.sk/article/22203921 Brussels, 23 June (TASR) - The eighteenth sanctions package against Russia won't have a negative impact on the Slovak economy in its current form; negotiations on the package are still ongoing and Slovakia is ready to support it, but it's asking for guarantees on the announced EU plan to disconnect from gas, oil and nuclear fuel supplies from Russia, Foreign and European Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) stated at the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels on Monday. https://etasr.sk/article/22204110 Brussels, 23 June (TASR) - Slovakia will chair the Austerlitz Format (S3: Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia) between 1 July 2025 and 30 June 2026, Foreign and European Affairs Minister Juraj Blanar (Smer-SD) has stated, the Foreign Ministry's communications department told TASR on Monday, adding that Slovakia's priorities will be energy security, cooperation in European affairs and EU enlargement to the Western Balkan countries, as well as the development of transport infrastructure, digital transformation and development cooperation. https://etasr.sk/article/22203831 Bratislava, 23 June (TASR) - The opposition Freedom and Solidarity (SaS) party called on Monday on Health Minister Kamil Sasko (Voice-SD) to scrap the €80 million tender for a helicopter emergency medical service. https://etasr.sk/article/22203715 Bratislava, 23 June (TASR) - After 100 days in office, Investment, Regional Development and Informatisation Minister Samuel Migal (Independent) is proving that he's still not as familiar with the issue of regions as he should be; instead of talking responsibly and openly with the local authorities at the same table, he's attacking them and sending them inappropriate and almost rude messages through the media, Parliamentary Chair and ex-investment minister Richard Rasi (Voice-SD) said in response to the minister's comments made earlier in the day. https://etasr.sk/article/22203987 Bratislava, 23 June (TASR) - Education Minister Tomas Drucker (Voice-SD) considers the attack by a man against a woman on the grounds of a school in Roznava (Kosice region) to be extremely reprehensible, the ministry's communications department told TASR on Monday. https://etasr.sk/article/22204055 Notice: If you click on the link or copy it into the search window, the browser will display the full text of the message in the new e-TASR client zone. If you have any questions, please contact obchod@tasr.sk. am